all rivers flow to the sea
by Penrose Quinn
Summary: As with the thin spindly roots of an orchid, the red capillaries beneath a flat palm; each and all are connected to one thing, in some way. [A companion piece to a dragon rises from a small stream]
1. Side: The compromise

**Lili** | Side: The compromise

* * *

Mother sported an approving smile at my direction. In such a familiar manner, she held Lady Yong-hi's hand and beamed brightly at her. "Had I not told you, dear Yong-hi? It's only a matter of time," she enthused, hardly containing the ecstatic tone in her voice. "They are quite adorable together, no?"

Pretending that her remark had gone deaf on my ears, I kept my simpering guile intact; _barely_ , however, because if there was a mirror before me I would hold no surprise if my face had almost appeared like it sucked a lemon. I gulped down my tea, mentally pouring my attention towards my drink in hopes that maybe, just maybe, the brew may miraculously turn into alcoholic cordial. _Because the gods_ _—_ _or Hiryuu, or whatever Koukan deity out there_ _—_ _know that I need it._

Lady Yong-hi chuckled. "I suppose so," she agreed with a soft smile on her lips. "A friendship would be most convenient in a harmonious relationship. . ."

I almost choked on my tea at that explicit detail. For respectable court ladies, these women were relentlessly blunt to the core.

"Indeed," Mother agreed with a teasing grin on her face. "I was almost considering the thought of marrying my sweetling to yours. Why, with the tryst these two decided upon themselves, I wouldn't mind an engagement this early."

They both laughed at the jape. However I knew better that the implication wasn't as farfetched at it seemed.

After all, if there had been an antagonist in my celebrated celibacy, no one better suited the role than my very own mother.

* * *

 **A/N:** This is just a place where I can store all the random scenes I couldn't include in the actual story. Other POVs from different characters, including. So, here ya go. This scene is supposed to be somewhere between Chp.5 and Chp.6, however because of the shift in mood I had to scrap it off.


	2. Side: The unfolding

**Soo-won** | Side: The unfolding

* * *

An Lili wasn't a person he liked at first.

His gut instinct—which Hak had long since acknowledged was _'right most of the time'_ —was to blame for that. It wasn't really from his slight indisposition towards girls that made him want to avoid her at all cost. Perhaps, it was from the manner she was so formal and well-behaved. Even though blue-blooded children her age were expected to behave such way, there was an air about her that was very off-putting.

The sentiment easily reminded him of the women from the court, with all their painted faces and their poised words. His father would always tell him to take more caution around their feminine wiles for those of delicate beauty may be twice as cunning. Bare faced and young as she was, Lili felt no different from a court woman who concealed herself with layers of silks and sweetness.

"—so she's a prude," Hak said, almost as if he read out his thoughts. "Chika says a lot of water people act like that."

Sitting next to the boy, Soo-won contemplated about that. Even outside the open yard, against the coarse graze of crown grass that seemed to wave for his attention, somehow nothing spared him from the pestering thought.

Sighing, Hak then voiced out for him: "It's not like you should like her."

His head bobbed to the side, strands of hair fringing over his cheek. "Mother likes her, though."

" _And,_ " his friend's expectant tone droned for a long second. A little too long for Soo-won's liking.

A cool draft kindly blew; leaves ruffled from their branches, flew in mid-air in small clusters, lost track of the time.

"I don't know."

Hak then heaved out a large sigh. "Soo-won," he uttered; it was stern and slightly irked, demanding too of his full attention, "do you even like her or not?"

Soo-won's best response was a shrug.

On his face was a familiar scrunch of brows. "You're hopeless when it's about girls, you know that?"

"But when it's about Yona, it's not," Soo-won didn't how to word it delicately, "complicated."

Hak sent him an odd look. "Yona is _Yona_."

"Yona is a _girl_ ," Soo-won corrected, earning him an eye roll, "or maybe I should try asking her about that."

"Bad idea," Hak shook his head, his feathers fluttering over his ears. "She's five. You think she knows any better?"

Soo-won scratched the nape of his neck. "You do have a point."

Folding his arms over his chest, Hak snorted. "I always have a point."

With another careless shrug, Soo-won heavily leaned on him. "I guess you're right."

"Hey," Hak interjected. "Stop being all mopey."

Soo-won didn't move away, instead pushing his weight down further to the boy that slumped from his back for support. _Hak would be fine_ , Soo-won was sure. "But I'm not," he denied, anyway. There was an ant climbing on his forefinger, and like the curious child he was, he ogled at the manner it skittered away to his knuckle; left and right it went, uncertain and undecided. He sympathized.

Unbothered from being crushed by his weight, Hak nudged him from the elbow. "Idiot, who're you fooling?"

His shoulders lifted insouciantly. "No one," Soo-won finally sighed, letting the wandering ant return back to the ground, to its ant line in the company of its kindred. He blinked, smiling a bit at the small commotion. The interaction of the little creatures reminded him of the ruction of a crowd, from the farmlands, the market, beneath the hot sun and the hum of a gentle breeze. Then the fall of mellow rain, warped reflections beneath his mud-slicked feet, and an amiable voice.

" _You can always join us."_

An interval later, he felt the soft earth under his shoulders, the blades of grass poking on his throat. It'd been too quick, like a flash of red light beneath his eyelids. Hak was gone.

For a heartbeat, the sun was far too blinding before his eyes, clotting his sight with spots of crimson and white. His hand was drawn out, and from his angle, it curiously appeared as if he could touch it, harsh searing gold tangling beneath his small fingers. Absentmindedly, he pondered if he would burn.

Until a blue shadow fell over him, above him, in the form of a dark-haired boy.

"You're heavy," grouched Hak, patting the dust from his pants. He then offered out his outstretched hand. "Does the prude even matter to you?"

Soo-won mused and mused, until he found his words: "I guess," he said, finally accepting his hand. _But . . . not in that way._

Because while his mother adored her, he couldn't say the same.

* * *

 **A/N:** Supposed to be somewhere before Chp 6, several weeks before their meeting and the shogi match. Somehow, this was also supposed to mirror Lili and Haru when they talked about Soo-won, but in the end, I just wanted to write Soo-won's uncertainty and how Hak deals with it, much to his frustration.


End file.
